Soon to be New WSM Owner


 
Dan C. FL

Dan C. FL

TVWBB Pro
After smoking several butts, a mess of wings, and a whole chicken on my 22" Kettle, my wife has given me the ok to invest in a WSM. (This may have been expedited by the fact that I told her it would make good brisket, too.) So, I'm planning on getting the 18" at the first of the month. In addition to the smoker, there are a couple of things that I will need: a chimney and a thermometer. This leads to a couple of questions:

After reading around here, I'm pretty sure that I'll be using the minion method for my longer cooks. So, with that in mind, do I need the big chimney? Or can I just get the smaller one and be happy?

Thermometers: I have never used one in all of my years of grilling. But, I am smart enough to know that using a WSM is a lot different than my kettle. So, I want to get something that will do ambient temp and meat temp. Going through here, I've seen folks rave about the 733 and another one (Brain fart...I've forgotten the name...goes for $99, reviews are that the probes are higher quality than the 733). The price difference isn't that big, but is it worth it?

Thanks, looking forward to some guidance.

Dan
:blackkettle::blackkettle:
 
I use about 1/2 to 3/4 chimney full of charcoal for starting my 22.5. I would assume the small one would work fine for getting it started in an 18. But, and for your kettle, you might just want the big one for "just in case...."

Oh, shoot, who am I fooling? You'll own both before long and a ATC, etc...hahaha

Watch craigslist for a deal, use the money saved for buying accessories.
 
Welcome to the forum, Dan. :)

Buy the big chimney. You can always use it upside down for firing up starter coals for the smoker.
 
Dan C. FL said:
Going through here, I've seen folks rave about the 733 and another one (Brain fart...I've forgotten the name...goes for $99, reviews are that the probes are higher quality than the 733). The price difference isn't that big, but is it worth it?
Click to expand...

Could you be referring to the ThermoWorks Smoke? It got a good review on AmazingRibs, but I have no experience with it myself. I have the ET-733's older brother, the ET-732, and I like it very much. It has exceptional range: I can work in my vegetable garden about 200 feet away from my smoker and still keep track of the temperature. It's about $10.00 cheaper than the ET-733. The probes are the only weak point. They're prone to fail if too much moisture enters the lead-probe junction, so I keep a spare set on hand in case one goes Tango Uniform in the middle of a cook (which hasn't happened... yet).
 
Marshall Blythe said:
Could you be referring to the ThermoWorks Smoke? It got a good review on AmazingRibs, but I have no experience with it myself. I have the ET-733's older brother, the ET-732, and I like it very much. It has exceptional range: I can work in my vegetable garden about 200 feet away from my smoker and still keep track of the temperature. It's about $10.00 cheaper than the ET-733. The probes are the only weak point. They're prone to fail if too much moisture enters the lead-probe junction, so I keep a spare set on hand in case one goes Tango Uniform in the middle of a cook (which hasn't happened... yet).
Click to expand...

YES!!! That's the one!! The ThermoWorks Smoke!! I was originally thinking about the iGrill, but after reading all of the reviews I wasn't confident enough to go that route. Glad to hear that you have had good experience with the 732! Thanks for the feedback!
 
Marshall Blythe said:
Automatic Temperature Controller. Something along these lines.
Click to expand...

WHOA!!! I had no idea things like that even existed! I've gotta admit, though, that having never even used a thermometer before (save to test a couple of whole chickens for doneness) that feels kinda like cheating! (Hahaha!!!!) But, it definitely sounds like something to save up for since I am interested in doing longer cooks like brisket. Thanks Marshall!!!
 
Welcome Dan. I've used the ET-732 for a few years and always had problems with the receiver getting the signal. I recently purchased the Smoke, it works great. I find it much easier to program as well.
 
Dan C. FL said:
WHOA!!! I had no idea things like that even existed! I've gotta admit, though, that having never even used a thermometer before (save to test a couple of whole chickens for doneness) that feels kinda like cheating! (Hahaha!!!!) But, it definitely sounds like something to save up for since I am interested in doing longer cooks like brisket. Thanks Marshall!!!
Click to expand...

There's a lot of neat gadgets out there but IMHO you don't need them. The WSM's work great without them.
 
DuaneMac said:
Welcome Dan. I've used the ET-732 for a few years and always had problems with the receiver getting the signal. I recently purchased the Smoke, it works great. I find it much easier to program as well.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the welcome!! Do you think the problems with the 732 were because of distance or obstruction (walls?)? I'll probably be not more than 50-75 feet away, but will have the receiver inside.

DuaneMac said:
There's a lot of neat gadgets out there but IMHO you don't need them. The WSM's work great without them.
Click to expand...
I'm learning that there is a gadget that does just about everything but rub the meat for you!!
 
Well, one of the issues is solved. I've placed my order for my ThermoWorks Smoke. I'll probably just buy the chimney in store when I get the smoker. Next up: getting ready to try makin' bacon. :)
 
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